# API Documentation > Research niches, look up creators, sounds, and hashtags, and follow trends on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels through the Virlo API. Source: https://dev.virlo.ai/docs Markdown: https://dev.virlo.ai/docs.md Section: Start here ## About the Virlo API (applies to every page) - Base URL: `https://api.virlo.ai/v1`. Every request needs the header `Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY` (keys start with `virlo_tkn_`). - Responses are JSON inside a `data` field, except the `/v1/webhooks` endpoints, which return the object or array directly. Field names are snake_case. - Prices are in US dollars from a prepaid balance. 1 credit = $0.01. The `X-Cost` response header on each successful response is the exact charge. Errors are free. - Slow jobs return an ID. Check its status every 15 seconds (or whatever `retry_after_seconds` says) until `finalized` is `true`. - All docs pages: https://dev.virlo.ai/llms.txt. Every page in one file: https://dev.virlo.ai/llms-full.txt. MCP server for AI assistants: https://dev.virlo.ai/api/mcp/mcp. --- See what's working on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels from your software or AI assistant. New to APIs? Read the [Glossary](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/glossary). With the Virlo API you can research a niche, look up any creator, sound, or hashtag, and see what's trending. You send each request with your API key (it works like a password), and you get back data as JSON, not a finished report, ready for your code or AI assistant to use. There's no subscription. You add funds to a prepaid balance, and most requests cost $0.50 or less. Errors are free, and failed creator, sound, and hashtag lookups are refunded. A one-time agent whose run fails is still charged, as [Billing and pricing](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/credits#how-it-works) explains. Most requests answer in seconds, and lookups take up to a few minutes. Agents take longer: 9 in 10 finish collecting in under 20 minutes, and the AI report follows a few minutes after that. [Quickstart](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/quickstart) [Content Research Agents](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/agents) [API playground](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/playground) ## Before you start 1. [Sign up](https://dev.virlo.ai/signup) and [add funds](https://dev.virlo.ai/dashboard/billing). Keys need funds. 2. [Generate an API key](https://dev.virlo.ai/dashboard/api-keys) and copy it: it's shown once. 3. Follow the [Quickstart](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/quickstart). ## Find what you need | You want to | Go to | | - | - | | Analyze a niche's videos, once or on a schedule | [Content Research Agents](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/agents) | | Profile a creator and their go-to formats | [Creator lookup](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/satellite), [add-ons](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/satellite/creators) | | Check if a video beat its creator's usual views | [Video outlier check](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/satellite/video-outlier) | | Follow creators or videos over time | [Tracking](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/tracking) | | See today's trends | [Trends](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/trends) | | Find trending sounds, or dig into one | [Sounds](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/sounds), [Sound lookup](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/satellite/sounds) | | Rank hashtags, or dig into one | [Hashtags](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/hashtags), [Hashtag lookup](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/satellite/hashtags) | | Find opening lines (hooks) that work | [Hooks](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/hooks) | | Get the last 48 hours' top videos | [Videos](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/videos), [YouTube](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/youtube-videos), [TikTok](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/tiktok-videos), [Instagram](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/instagram-videos) | | Get alerts when runs, lookups, or trends are ready, or tracked items change | [Webhooks](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/webhooks) | | Use Virlo from Claude, Cursor, or another AI assistant | [MCP server](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/mcp) | ## Good to know - Requests go to `https://api.virlo.ai/v1` with your key in the [`Authorization` header](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/authentication). - Slow jobs return a job ID to [check](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/async-data) every 15 seconds, or whatever `retry_after_seconds` says. - The `X-Cost` header shows each call's [price](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/credits) in dollars. Some fields count credits: 1 credit = $0.01. **Details for developers** Results sit in `data`, except on `/v1/webhooks`. Fields are snake_case, except `statusCode` in errors. JavaScript examples use top-level `await`, so save them as `.mjs` files. Still on `/v1/orbit` or `/v1/comet`? They are deprecated. [Switch to agents](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/orbit). --- More in Start here: - [Quickstart](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/quickstart.md) - [Authentication](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/authentication.md) - [Billing and pricing](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/credits.md) - [Glossary](https://dev.virlo.ai/docs/glossary.md)